St Andrews
by Franz1
Summary: MODERN/ Yusuf goes to St Andrews where he meets Suleiman, Ezio and a bunch of others he quickly becomes friends with...the story is a lot better than the summary! (WARNING m/m later on)
1. Chapter 1

Yusuf looked up at the gigantic brick building and made his way through the crowd of students that streamed onto the campus of St Andrews University. He followed them, a plan in his hand with his room number and directions.

"Watch it, will you?" Suddenly making contact with a very compact body, Yusuf stumbled back. A taller man with broad build glared down at him.

"Sorry." He gave Yusuf an all over and was quickly joined by a young woman with reddish brown hair.

"What is it Ezio?"

"Guy stumbled into me." The girl smiled and put out her hand.

"Are you new here?"

"Yes." Yusuf managed to say, shaking her hand.

"I'm Sofia, this grumpy guy here is Ezio." Ezio turned to her with a pout.

"I'm not grumpy."

"Oh yes you are!" Yusuf just watched their exchange with big eyes, noticing how sometimes foreign words slipped into their conversation. Suddenly seeming to remember his presence the two turned back to him. "And who're you?"

"Yusuf Tazim."

"That's a strange name." Ezio remarked bluntly and Yusuf turned to glare at him.

"Ezio's not an everyday name either."

"Hey, it is a very respectable Italian name!"

"Boys, boys, lets not fight again, shall we? It was nice meeting you, I'm sure we'll see you around again. Come on Ezio, let's look for Claudia."

"Right." And off they were again, leaving Yusuf behind just as disoriented as before. Oh well, his room couldn't be that far off.

He was right about the distance but it nevertheless took Yusuf another thirty minutes to find the place he was supposed to stay at. His shoulder ached from carrying his bad around and his head was hurting from all the loud and excited voice. Adding to that he was hungry and tired and not in the best mood.

When Yusuf finally reached the hallway that lead down to his room he slowed down, seeing two tall and broadly built men standing in front of the door. They only regarded him with a short glance, before returning to staring out the window.

"Ah sorry, could I get through?"

"Who're you?" The man who spoke had a heavy accent that reminded Yusuf much of his own.

"Yusuf Tazim, I'm supposed to stay here." As proof he lifted the sheet with his rooming information and they stepped aside, letting him in. Inside the room he found that one bed, the one next to a window with the nicer view, was already occupied by a young man reading. He didn't seem to notice Yusuf's entrance, or at least he decided to ignore it. When Yusuf cleared his throat the man startled and looked up with big eyes.

"What is it?" His English was better than the other men's but he as well had an accent.

"I'm your roommate, or so it seems."

"Are you Turkish?"

"Yes, I'm from Istanbul. And so are you, judging by your accent." The man chuckled and nodded, put his book aside and put out his hand.

"Suleiman, pleasure to meet you." Yusuf couldn't but smirk at the name and shook his hand while lowering his head.

"The pleasure is mine Shehzade. I am Yusuf." Suleiman blushed at the way Yusuf addressed him, making him outright grin. "Sorry, I just couldn't let that one pass. How long have you been here?"

"I arrived this morning."

"Have you had a chance to look around yet?"

"Yes, I've been trying to orientate myself all morning."

"I failed miserably when trying to find this room. You don't happen to know where the food is being served for dinner? I could use something between my teeth by now." Suleiman smiled for just a moment before returning to his serious expression and nodded, once more sitting down to continue reading.

"As soon as it is time for dinner I'll let you know and make sure you don't starve."

"Much appreciated, thank you."


	2. Chapter 2

By the time Yusuf was done with unpacking and changing into something else he was downright starving and it was time for dinner.

"Ready to go?" Suleiman asked the moment Yusuf finished and got up.

"Yes please. I feel like I haven't eaten in ages." Suleiman chuckled and led the way, closely followed by Yusuf and once they exited the door also the two huge men. "Do they go everywhere with you?"

"Yes, pretty much. I'm sorry if they bother you."

"Ah no worries, I understand that your royalty must be protected." Once again Suleiman reddened and cleared his throat.

"They are here because my father worries about me. I tell him that nothing is going to happen but you know how parents get when they have their mind set on something." Actually he didn't. Well, his mother had a pretty strong mind but he never had met his father.

"Right, I suppose. So what, your father is a politician of some sort? If I may ask."

"Something like that. Have you found your academic parents yet?"

"My what?"

"Your academic parents? It's this thing in St Andrews that freshers get an academic father and mother to look after them while they get used to everything."

"Ah no I don't. Do you?" Suleiman nodded.

"Academic father; Ezio Auditore." Yusuf huffed.

"I think I've met him."

"Really? Maybe he can become your Academic father as well."

"I doubt it. I ran into him quite literally, earlier and he didn't seem too pleased." Apparently the image of that amused Suleiman because he smiled and lightly bumped into Yusuf's shoulder.

"You'll be fine, I'm sure he already forgot about it."

"You seem quite sure of that."

"Ezio's not a bad guy, I've known him for a bit now."

"How come?"

"We met when I was here to look at the University and stayed in touch. He has a sister as well, Claudia." Yes, Yusuf remembered her name from before as well.

"Look, here we are!" They stopped and looked at the big dining hall where it smelled deliciously of food. Yusuf grinned.

"Welcome home." Besides him Suleiman laughed and they joined the line of other waiting students, eager to get their food before the best was gone.

"Suleiman!" Both of them turned, seeing Ezio walk up to them with a grin on his face.

"Hello Ezio."

"And...Yusuf, was it not?"  
"Yes."

"He is my roommate." Ezio nodded slowly and the smiled again.

"That's cool, you're both Turkish, no?"

"Both from Istanbul." He laughed and walked with them as they proceeded in line.

"Once you've got your food come join Claudia and me at our table, I'll introduce you to everyone." Yusuf blinked at his good mood and friendliness but Suleiman just smiled, knowingly.

"I told you he wouldn't hold a grudge."

"You sure did. Is Sofia his girlfriend?" Suleiman shook his head while reaching over the counter to get his plate back.

"Not as far as I know. He tries though."

"She is pretty, I give him that."

"You shouldn't let him hear that though, he's rather...protective of her." Yusuf laughed and shook her head.

"No need to worry about me when it comes to that, arakasim!" Suleiman looked at him questioningly and he bit his tongue, having said too much already. "She's not my type, I'm not so into light hair." He quickly added. The puzzled look was gone by the time Yusuf finished his explanation and they headed over to where Ezio sat with his friends.


	3. Chapter 3

Yusuf seemed like a good guy, Suleiman decided while watching him talk to Claudia. It was nice to have someone of the same culture here with him, although he found Yusuf's appearance quite unusual. The man had a long scar that ran from the left side of the bridge of his nose diagonally down his cheek, and he had long wavy black hair. His eyes though were startlingly blue, like wolf's eyes, clashing strongly with his darker skin. But his smile was wide and easy and his voice mocking and friendly. Claudia laughed at something Yusuf said and looked at Suleiman with a smirk.

"Is it true that you are a prince?" Eyes turned on him and he felt the heat rise to his face, inwardly cursing Yusuf and taking back every though spent on his good nature.

"No it isn't."

"It would explain the bodyguards though." A guy called Leonard said with a grin, quickly picking up on the joke.

"And the name." Yusuf offered. "The greatest Sultan of the Ottoman Empire carried the same name."

"Shut up." Suleiman mumbled under his breath and stuffed his mouth with some more of the overcooked vegetables.

"Oh I'm sorry, perhaps his real persona was supposed to be a secret. Forgive me, kardeshim?" Suleiman ignored him while the other's laughed and Yusuf grinned.

"What does that mean?" Sofia asked after some of the laughter had toned down and curiously leaned forward. Her eyes wandered from Yusuf to Suleiman and back again.

"It means brother."

"You're not really brothers though, right?"

"No, not really."

"Ah, I mean you could be, you don't look _that_ different. Both of you have black hair and all."

"Don't be racist." Leonard said and Sofia's eyes grew.

"What? Oh my I'm sorry did I say something offensive?" They laughed at her shocked expression, which quickly turned to a glare. "Leonard you idiot, that wasn't funny! It might have seriously been offensive."

"It wasn't, and it is true after all." Suleiman said and Sofia smiled thankfully. Then she once again looked at the two, one after another.

"Do you two already have an academic mother?"

"No." They both answered in unison and she grinned.

"Perfecto! You'll be my children then!"

"What irony that Ezio is my Academic dad." Suleiman mumbled and both Ezio and Sofia blushed up to the hairline, the others roaring with laughter.

"Maybe it's fate?"

"Shut up you guys, you're being so immature." Claudia said, apparently feeling bad for her brother and friend. Still she grinned.

"Right well if that's how it's going to be; Yusuf, what about it?"

"What?"

"You want to join our Academic family?"

"Sure!"

"You're a funny bunch, Italians and Turks and not a single English person."

"Now who's being racist?"

"Not me! I'm was just stating the obvious!" Their bickering continued until the dining hall emptied and Yusuf was about to fall asleep at the table. Seeing how he was supressing a yawn every two minutes Suleiman stood up and gestured to Yusuf to follow him.

"They're a good bunch, all of them." Yusuf said some time during their walk back to the dorms. Suleiman's bodyguard were still following them, leaving a distance of barely three metres. Suleiman had gotten used to ignoring them but Yusuf still glanced back every now and then.

"I like them. If it stays like this it should be a good year." Yusuf nodded and yawned whole-heartedly this time.

"Sorry." Now having to yawn as well Suleiman shook his head.

"No worries." They continued in comfortable silence and reached their room just before the lights went on outside. Tarik and Manuel stayed outside the room like always, while Yusuf and Suleiman went inside to get ready.

"What are you studying?"

"International Relations, you?"

"Ah, not so much of that type of guy I fear. I study physics."

"That's realy impressive."

Yusuf shrugged and smiled a little. They stopped talking for a bit while they both changed and Suleiman couldn't help but notice several other scars on Yusuf's torso. He was about to ask him about it when Suleiman decided that knowing each other for twelve hours wasn't the optimal basis for intimate talk. "Have you thought about joining any clubs yet?" He asked instead and Yusuf looked up a little surprised.

"No I haven't in fact. How come you're here only a couple hours longer and yet you're perfectly informed about everything and I have no clue?" Suleiman laughed and shrugged.

"I looked at the web page."

"That's not fair then, you cheated!"

"No one stopped you from doing the same, did they _arakasin?" _

Yusuf glared at him before pulling down his pants and strutting through the room without giving him the satisfaction of answering. Instead he gave him the pure satisfaction of looking. A lot. While Yusuf was busy retrieving his pyjamas he gave Suleiman a good and full view of his muscly and tanned body, his very nicely shaped... Suleiman's eyes were staring somewhere else the moment Yusuf straightened.

"I uh, I'll shower I think before going to bed." And out he was, Yusuf glancing after him a little confused.


	4. Chapter 4

The room was empty and silent and it took a moment for Yusuf to orientate himself. Suleiman was gone, his bed neatly made. Were there classes today? It was a Saturday so there shouldn't be but...Yusuf stumbled out of bed and out on the hallway, looking for someone to ask. Luckily a victim was found within few minutes and Yusuf stopped the guy from walking away.

"Hey sorry, you know where everyone's gone?" The boy eyes him for a moment before answering.

"Are you a fresher?"

"Yeah."

"Right well it's fresher fare today so you better get your arse going if you want to join a club or something."

"Oh...fresher fare you said?" The guy nodded again and once more glanced at his pyjamas.

"I'd say I'd show you but it looks like it'll take a bit longer and I'm meeting up with friends. Sorry mate."

"I'll find it." The guy grinned.

"Hard to overlook."

Returning to his room Yusuf quickly grabbed a towel and took a shower, then with still damp hair but at least warm clothes left the dorms and headed out to find the fresher fair.

It really was hard to overlook. Everywhere were booths, where people would advertise their different clubs, trying to get people to join. It was time for mingling and fun and Yusuf felt overwhelmed by the sheer amount of opportunities. Uncomfortably passing the LGBT booth Yusuf continued down the way, looking for any familiar face. There were many sports clubs, and being quite a dedicated parkour runner Yusuf looked for something similar. Sadly though apparently parkour wasn't something they offered but there were kickboxing classes, which sounded pretty cool, Tai Chi, boxing, wrestling, there was rugby, football, tennis, golf, cross country, rowing, track and field... but nothing really that Yusuf had done before. Sure he's played football before with a couple of friends but usually he spent time with a group of guys who had similar 'talents' as his. Just that pick pocketing and parkour running apparently weren't on the list of presentable hobbies.

"Have you found something yet?" Suleiman's voice startled him and made him flinch, turning around to see the man grin at him.

"You could have woken me up."

"I tried but you have a very deep sleep."

"Your bodyguards are missing."

"Oh no, they're around. So, have you joined a club yet?"

"I can't decide. What about you?"

"Well Claudia talked me into joining her book club and Leonard managed to convince me to help at his night-time help line."

"Oh wow, that's uh admirable. I don't think I could listen to people whine about their sorrows and pains without telling them to shut up." Suleiman laughed and shook his head.

"I guess it's just as well then that you didn't join."

"I guess. I'm thinking about joining a sports club but these aren't really my forte."

"What would be your forte?"

"Running, climbing, stuff like that."

"Actually I think I saw a mountaineering club over there."

"That's like...mountain climbing and hiking, right?"

"Not your type of thing." Imagining himself walking through forests made him cringe...no Yusuf was a city kid.

"Nope, not really." But then there was something that caught his eye. Pulling Suleiman along so he wouldn't loose him to the crowd Yusuf quickly approached the Mixed Martial Arts stand. He had strength from parkour, fought in more street fights than he could count and was in good shape.

"Are you interested in joining?" A friendly looking guy asked, handing Yusuf a flyer.

"Yeah. What exactly is Mixed Martial Arts?"

"Well it's, as the name suggests, a huge array of different kinds of Martial Arts. We combine the best combat techniques from striking to wrestling, as well as an intense fitness program. Have you fought any kind of Martial Arts before?" Yusuf shrugged non-committedly.

"Not directly under a professional coach but I've tried different things." The guy nodded.

"That's good, any experience is an advantage. We train on Tuesdays and Friday from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and on Sundays from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m."

"Sound good."

"Cool mate, just come at whatever training session you'd like to join, we start after raisin Monday." Yusuf just nodded and took the flyer, then went off with Suleiman.

"What exactly is raising Monday?"

"You really have no clue, do you?"

"Not really, no." Suleiman chuckled and shook his head.

"At the end of the first week there is what they call raisin weekend. Ezio told me all about; basically what you do is have a 'tea party' at your academic mother's house, then you go to your dad's house where you either have a house party or go to pubs. The children are supposed to give their parents a bottle of wine. On Monday the parents can think of a costume they like and then are send off with a raising receipt which can basically be anything they want it to be and needs to be carried around all day. Well all morning. Then there is apparently some kind of foam fight and then you get the rest of the day off."

Suleiman finished his rant and Yusuf looked at him in disbelieve.

"Tell me you didn't quote that word for word."

"What? Oh, no of course I didn't."

"How do you even _know_ this stuff? I feel useless." Suleiman first stared, as if he wasn't sure whether it was meant to be mocking or serious, but then broke out into a grin when he saw Yusuf's pout.

"I'm sure your good for something, may it only be at smashing heads in."

"Hey, they even have a club for head smashing, with a long name and all." They laughed and continued through the crowd.


	5. Chapter 5

The week went by in a blur; Yusuf was drowning in the sheer amount of work that was already being assigned, while simultaneously filling the seemingly endless knowledge gaps.

"How are you _not_ constantly doing homework?" Yusuf asked, seriously pissed by now, because Suleiman always seemed to have spare time to read his stupid book.

"I finished them before."

"That's not fair though! It's first week, dammit!"

"Well, you did take Physics." As an answer Suleiman just got a nasty glare, at which he chuckled and then returned reading.

"What are you reading the whole time that has you engrossed in thought?" Suleiman lifted the cover so Yusuf could see.

"Why on earth would anyone read that?"

"I think it's interesting."

"_No_ one thinks the Odyssey is interesting."

"I do." Yusuf smirked and twisted onto his stomach.

"Course you do, you're not 'no one' after all. You're _someone_, even though you won't tell me why you have bodyguards."

"I already told you that my dad is just worried."

"I'm sure all other parents are worried about their children going off into the big, cruel world but I don't see them tugging behind bodyguards."

"My dad he's... he's in a dangerous business, okay?" Suleiman looked _really _uncomfortable right now so Yusuf just shrugged it off.

"Doesn't give you an excuse to read the odyssey."

"Did you even try?"

"I read the summary and fell asleep so I decided it wasn't worth it." Suleiman chuckled and returned back to his book, leaving Yusuf still completely bored out of his mind. "Come one, _please _talk to me?"

"You know I rarely say this but you can be quite a bit annoying." He turned to the other man who was lying face down on his bed, grumbling into the blanket. "How old are you, ten?"

"If that is what it'll take for you to entertain me I'll be any age you like. Please, please, _please_ Suleiman? Let's just do something outside in the fresh air? I swear I won't bother you for at least another two hours after that."

"Don't swear on anything you can't keep."

"I can try at least."

"Yusuf..."

"Please kardeshim? Do your brother a favour and take him for a walk."

"You sound like a dog."

"I'm more like a puppy, and I don't even bite." Suleiman chuckled despite wanting to put on a serious front and slowly got up.

"Fine, come on."

"Really?"

"Don't be so bloody surprised, you asked for it!" For a moment Yusuf stopped moving before starting to laugh so hard tears came to his eyes. "What? What did I do?"

"Bloody...It just sounds so weird coming out of your mouth. Don't even attempt to be British again, alright?"

"I wasn't trying..." He pouted and looked to the floor, his cheeks flushed.

"Must be the others rubbing off on you. Can't have that happening, not with you being all high and mighty, reading the odyssey."

"Will you just let it go?"

"Nope, not before I decided whether you have lost or gained my trust."

The walk was actually quite nice and Yusuf seemed to cool down while they were at it. He was still chattering away as usual but Suleiman could see him being more relaxed while doing so.

"You never actually talk about yourself." He noticed after listening to Yusuf's rambling for about ten minutes.

"I don't?"

"No, yet I'm sure you could tell me all about everyone else."

"I'm just shy." Yusuf mumbled and Suleiman cracked a grin.

"You're anything _but_ shy, arakdasim. So tell me, what do you do when you're not busy annoying everyone else."

A cheeky grin immediately lit up Yusuf's face while his eyes wandered of to the high St. Rule's tower.

"Do you want me to show you something?"

"What?"

"You know, what I do when I'm not busy enlightening everyone's dull life?"

"Uh...is it against the school rules?"

"Probably."

"Then I don't think I want to see it."

"Oh _please_ you asked for it, tonight, right?"

"No, Yusuf I'm really not sure whether we should do anything against the rules in our first week in."

"So what, you'd do it next week?"

"_Not_ my point."

"Come on Suleiman, shed your shell of boringness and enjoy all the adventures that life can offer you, if you only accept them!"

"I'm not sure whether I should be offended or inspired." Yusuf shrugged.

"Take it either way, but just say yes, okay?"

"Can you at least tell me what you excursion tonight includes?" With a grin Yusuf turned and pointed at the towers.

"Hell no. No, Yusuf you are absolutely out of your mind. You'll die and I'll have to pretend I wasn't involved and I'm a nasty liar."

Yusuf chuckled and fastened whatever that thing was around his wrist. He called it a 'hook-blade', but hadn't elaborated on why he needed it.

"It'll be all right just say I tried to kidnap you but you managed to push me off the tower before I reached the top and...uh...well maybe don't say that. You're bodyguards don't know you're gone so it's not like anyone can _prove_ that you were out here."

"You're not making me feel a whole lot better here." Together with that wide grin of his and a mischievous glint in his eyes Yusuf stepped forward and placed a heavy hand on Suleiman's shoulder.

"Trust me, okay? If there is one thing I can really do, it's this. Just watch and be amazed, then come up with the blankets."

"You're crazy."

"So I've heard."

With that Yusuf stepped back again, leaving a cold feeling lingering on Suleiman's shoulder. Then he bent down to his bag and pulled out a turquoise scarf that he wrapped around his head to keep his hair in place. Next Yusuf backed up, shook out his limbs and then began running at the tower with surprising speed.

"Oh my- Fucking hell Yusuf! Are you okay?"

There was breathless laughter from above, where Yusuf was making his way up the towers, the 'hook-blade' shining in the scarce moonlight now and then whenever he made a higher jump. All Suleiman could do was watch and...be amazed. Yusuf moved with complete control, strength and elegance, barely wavering to think about the next step that he would take.

"Meet me up at the middle!" He called down and Suleiman warily pulled his eye away from the crawling figure that was no more than a silhouette by now. Then he gathered all the stuff they had taken and headed for the steep stairs, skipping as many as he could without fainting from lack of oxygen. Finally he reached the middle and looked up at the arch above him, at the cloudy sky and at the thin moon. "I was quicker than you." The sudden voice in the silence made Suleiman flinch and nearly drop the things he was holding.

"You really are crazy."

"It's pretty cool though, right? My friends and I would do this all day long back in Istanbul, meet up in the morning and just run through the city and stop at certain places...It's an amazing feeling." Not sure what to say to Yusuf's sudden information he just nodded and gestured at the left wrist.

"So the hook-blade..." Yusuf extended it with a proud grin.

"Something a good friend and I developed, it's a metal blade that we bended at the top so it could work like an extension of your own arm, but also carry your weight so we fixed it to these wristlets, see? They're of leather for the most part, but see here where we added some extra leather and metal? It's so the blade doesn't suddenly rip out or something, or the leather wears down too quickly."

"That's uh, cool, I guess." Yusuf shot him another one of his catching grins and looked up.

"Do you want to go all the way to the top?"

"I'd rather not, I'm sure that Tarik will notice that we're missing by now and to-"

"Stop talking right there Suleiman, just stop. Come on. Be a man. We're already here, right? What's the chance of us coming back any time soon? And I swear that the sight will be amazing, at least if it's anything close to Istanbul..." Once more Yusuf drifted off into a story of how he once climbed the Galata Tower to watch the sunset and how beautiful it had been. Suddenly he turned back to Suleiman with an endearing smile on his face. "You know, in our next semester break when we go back to Istanbul, I'll take you up there, ya?"

"I, well, uh..."

"I'll teach you enough you have to know, or fucking fly you up there or something because you just _have_ to see it once in a lifetime. It's just something you'll never forget and that you'll tell your children about. I sure as hell will boast about having been up there for the rest of my life."

And Suleiman laughed; excited and a little overwhelmed at everything that was happening, at how fast their friendship was evolving and how quickly they had started making plans that exceeded the next weekend.


End file.
